For the past few years, the gang at How It Should Have Ended have offered animated, comedic takes on “What If?” style finales to everything from Assassin’s Creed to The Avengers to Game of Thrones: Season 1. Along the way, they’ve also launched the ongoing “Super Cafe” segments, where Batman and Superman hang out, Seinfeld-style, to chat about this and that. As producer Tina Alexander explained, “Daniel [Baxter] came up with the first appearance of 'Super Cafe' in our original Superman HISHE. He wanted to put Superman and Batman in a casual situation where they could talk about their lives and a diner seemed a good fit. We started to put it in all our super hero shorts but fans demanded seeing it even more than that... so we decided to start a little series of just ‘Super Café’.”
Alexander added, “And you never know who might be joining them!” Which is very true, considering a memorable recent installment found Super Mario trying to hang out with Superman and Batman, much to the dismay of the World’s Finest.
With San Diego Comic-Con just a week away, IGN is happy to present the exclusive debut of a new installment of How It Should Have Ended’s Super Cafe, with the focus on that uber-popular convention. Check out the video below, to see Batman and Superman debate the appeal of Cosplay, being the first to see footage from films like Iron Man 3 and The Hobbit and more.
Alexander noted they actually debated which of these Super Friends would be the cynic, revealing, “The original script had Superman playing the cynic and Batman pointing out that he dresses up like a human everyday (a joke we were sad to lose, but it didn't make sense in the reversal). But then we remembered that Dark Knight Rises was suspiciously absent (in panel form) from the Con last year, which disappointed a lot of fans. So maybe Batman isn't into it? At that point we reversed things and we felt like it was a lot funnier to have Superman threaten to make him go."
Still, if Batman were to actually make it to Comic-Con, Alexander feels he’d change his tune. “I'm pretty certain he'd be a huge hit and become a regular attendee. How could he not enjoy all that fan love? After all, he's Batman!”
After five issues of dull fighting and jumpy narratives, Avengers vs. X-Men #6 was the first chapter to realize the potential of this event. But the constantly rotating cast of writers means readers can never be sure that the quality will remain consistent, a fact that has been both a blessing and a curse for this book. AvX backslides a bit in issue #7. Luckily, Act 2 still remains markedly improved over Act 1.
Cyclops closed out issue #6 by promising "No more Avengers." We've seen that decree play out a bit in certain tie-in books, but here we see the full might of the Phoenix Five unleashed against Captain America's ragtag team. The tables certainly have changed since the Avengers stormed Utopia at the end of issue #1. While Cap keeps fighting a losing battle against the X-Men, Matt Fraction also follows Tony Stark and Black Panther's desperate battle to find a scientific solution and explores the twin mysteries of how Scarlet Witch and the Iron Fist factor into the conflict.
Characterization is one area this series has often faltered. The problems now are ones of consistency and focus. Both within this series and among the various tie-ins, there's very little consistency in how the Phoenix Five are portrayed. Are they retaining their normal personalities for now, or is the Phoenix Force speaking through them? It's really difficult to tell at times, but on the whole Fraction's dialogue for these five X-Men is much more casual than we saw from Jonathan Hickman in issue #6. In some ways this works better, as we see a bit of bickering and dissension among the group, but again, greater consistency would be nice.
This issue is also too narrow in its focus at times. For one thing, the various X-Men not currently empowered by the Phoenix are nothing more than window dressing -- extra bodies to toss into battle scenes. Unlike issue #6 and its Magneto/Xavier exchange, there's absolutely no sense of how the X-Men are reacting to their sudden rise in fortunes. How do characters like Psylocke and Storm feel about hunting down the Avengers in brutal, militaristic fashion? Uncanny X-Men #15 does a great job of mining that material, but that brings us back to one of the recurring complaints about this event -- too much vital story material is being left to the tie-ins. AvX is also beginning to feel a bit like Fear Itself in the sense that there's no wider context for the conflict. This issue is so concerned with specific Avengers and X-Men characters that it ignores how the rest of the world is responding to the conflict between heroes and the actions of the Phoenix Five. It's as if the Marvel Universe is an empty place beyond those few dozen creatures wearing spandex.
Still, this issue does a lot right, as well. Fraction does a fine job of capturing the growing tension on the Avengers side. The interaction between Black Panther and Tony Stark stands out particularly. These two have never had the warmest of relationships to start with, but here Tony's latent death wish becomes a major source of friction for them both. With Wolverine continuing to fade into the background in Act 2, it's really Panther of all characters that is stepping us as the neutral party and moderate voice of reason. Marvel has also been promising a major game-changer with this issue. While I'm not sure I would describe the final pages as "game-changing," Fraction does deliver an impressive escalation in the conflict that promises a very memorable issue #8.
Issue #6 also does a better job than most of providing fully realized, engaging battle scenes rather than the choppy, truncated ones of earlier issues. Fraction's script makes excellent use of Olivier Coipel's talent for epic scale and bold, dramatic figures. Coipel nails the tense emotions as the Avengers struggle to remain free, as well as the surreal action as characters like Magik and Scarlet Witch unleash their full power. There's an impressive amount of detail and energy at work in these pages, and it's a shame that Coipel only has one issue remaining before the next visual shake-up.
As with nearly every chapter of this event, Avengers vs. X-Men #7 is guilty of glossing over certain vital parts of the story in its charge forward. Even so, the series remains in better shape than it was during Act 1. I would be surprised if issue #8 were to kill that momentum given the groundwork Fraction has laid here.
Jesse is a writer for IGN Comics and various other IGN channels. Follow Jesse on Twitter, or find him on IGN.
Fans have long been speculating about Marvel's plans for their post-Avengers vs. X-Men universe. Thanks to an announcement in the Comic-Con issue of EW, we've got the answers.
Marvel NOW! is the company's latest publishing initiative, the next phase of Marvel ReEvolution, a concept that was unveiled earlier this year. Basically, it's a giant shake-up of Marvel's entire universe -- brand new titles, brand new creative teams, brand new costumes, relaunched titles, new digital incentives, new cover designs and even new secret identities, in some cases. It's a complete overhaul for the Marvel Universe that the publisher promises will leave no major character or series unaffected (jury's still out on where Night Nurse ends up, though).
However, Marvel has made sure to make one thing clear: Marvel NOW! is not a reboot or restart of continuity. This is the next evolution of their characters in a post-AvX world that will be moving things in all-new directions with creators tackling characters they've never really touched before.
Marvel will begin launching new books starting in October, which will included new and long-forgotten titles but also a few re-launches. The new books will continue launching through February 2013. If you're not sold on the idea yet, just take a look at the titles announced so far:
Uncanny Avengers #1 by Rick Remender & John Cassaday (October)
The book stars a team comprised of both Avengers and X-Men (yes, including Captain America and Wolverine) on a mission to find the Red Skull, who's on a mission to eliminate mutants once and for all.
All New X-Men #1 by Brian Michael Bendis & Stuart Immonen (November)
The original five X-Men -- from the 60s -- show up in the present and realize that the future they see isn't the one that they want. Bendis made it clear that it wasn't a time travel story that was heavy on the sci-fi element, instead focused on the character drama this situation would create.
Described as an Avengers book for the 21st century, Hickman will expand the roster to "18 or more" members from all walks of the Marvel Universe. Given the style of writing Hickman goes for, expect this book to be huge in scope.
Not bad, eh? Of course, this answers the mystery of what Hickman would be doing after he wraps up his Fantastic Four run and the reason he left Ultimate Comics Ultimates some months back, where he stated that it was for an opportunity that he couldn't pass up. If that opportunity wasn't Avengers #1, I'm not sure what else it could have been. In addition, this answers the question of what Bendis is doing post-Avengers. It's also worth noting that the rumors about Jean Grey's return are likely in reference to All-New X-Men, which states that the original First Class -- of which Jean was a part -- would find themselves in the present.
Uncanny Avengers by Remender and Cassaday is certainly an interesting title, as it suggests a mash-up of the writer's two major titles -- Uncanny X-Force and Secret Avengers. Might the teams be merging? Whatever the case, these line-ups are thrilling and here's hoping whatever else Marvel's got in store for Marvel NOW! is on par with these books.
EW also debuted an exclusive piece of art showcasing some of the new costume changes. All I can really say about it is, Rocket Raccoon FTW:
Aside from the new titles and general newness to the visual look of some characters, Marvel is also continuing their renewed focus on digital comics. The Marvel NOW! branding represents a jump-on point for new readers, and the covers for every new #1 with the branding will make use of Marvel AR to recap the story so far for new readers before they even open the book. Additionally, each book with the Marvel NOW! branding will have a code to download a free digital copy of the purchased issue via the Marvel Comics app.
There's bound to be plenty of speculation from fans in the coming weeks; luckily, San Diego Comic-Con is right around the corner. Surely attendees will have some questions. In the meantime, stay tuned to IGN Comics for a chat with Marvel's Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada on Thursday to shed some light on the initiative.
Update: In addition to the series listed above, Marvel revealed another new title: New Avengers by Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting. This will relaunch as a #1 in January.
Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator himself. Follow Joey on Twitter, or find him on IGN. He will love Star Wars until the end of his days.
That’s it. I give up. No longer will I keep my own cash and credit cards, as I’m handing everything over to Zen Studios. That’s because whatever table pack they come out with next, I know I’m going to buy it. The deal has been sealed with The Avengers Chronicles, a four-pack of tables out now via Xbox Live and the PlayStation Store, which is one of the most impressive entries into the pinball world that I’ve seen in my life. And I’m old. I know what I’m talking about.
There are only two companies out there putting out digital editions of pinball tables: Zen Studios and FarSight Studios. Both do equally amazing work, but where FarSight puts out incredibly accurate versions of pinball tables from the past (their Pinball Arcade is not to be missed, particularly for Bride of Pinbot), Zen Studios steps into the fantastic by putting out tables that never existed, but that still adhere to the laws of pinball.
The Avengers Chronicles is a perfect example, and might be their finest work to date. The company is actually branching out beyond pinball for the first time ever, and we were able to check out CastleStorm and KickBeat at E3 this year. But this new addition to their Marvel Universe of tables proves that when it comes to the silver ball, they really know their stuff.
The Avengers Continue Their Adventures
It also represents one of the best values in gaming you’re likely to see all year at only $9.99 on PSN and 800 points ($10.00) on XBLA. That’s only $2.50 per table, and each one of them offers a deep gameplay experience that will keep your fingers busy for hours.
Each one is a piece of art, and here’s how they break down:
THE AVENGERS: This table is based on the hit movie from this summer, and the table itself is the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier cruising over a city far below. Loki himself is at the top of the table, and you have to do battle with him with the Avengers, and you have them by the balls. Literally. This is the first table from Zen to utilize special pinballs, each of which is based on one of the Avengers, and which will require different gameplay for each ball. There are lines from the movie in here, but not read by the actors from the film. Regardless, it’s a fun extension of the film in a unique pinball form.
WORLD WAR HULK: Following the events of the comic book series from 2007, this table has the Hulk enraged (shocker) and seeking revenge after he was shot into space by a cadre of superheroes. He misses the planet they intended for him to land on, and now he’s back, and he’s pissed. He constructs a massive arena and forces Earth’s heroes to fight against each other. You’ll be alternately trying to evacuate Manhattan and controlling the more intelligent Hulk here, while dipping into a Madison Square Garden mini-playfield and listening to cameos from some of Marvel’s mightiest heroes.
FEAR ITSELF: This table has the Avengers battling the Asgardian god Serpent, who has ensnared the world in the grip of fear … itself. The table uses a ton of magnets, and you’ll find yourself battling the magnetic pinballs of the Worthy – warriors of Serpent who are given massive amounts of power through hammers not unlike Thor’s Mjolnir. There’s an extremely deep mini-game here, as well as a table full of gorgeous artwork. I love how the flippers are flanked above by Captain America’s shield, which has been split in half and covers the bumpers.
THE INFINITY GAUNTLET: This table is my favorite from the collection, hands down. But that shouldn’t be seen as a slight on the other three, because each one of these is a truly beautiful piece of physical wizardry. In The Infinity Gauntlet, you battle Thanos with Adam Warlock and the Silver Surfer as they seek to wrest away control of the Infinity Gauntlet and its gems. The Gauntlet itself looms large above the playfield to the left, and successive hits on it will trigger one of the gems, each of which has a different effect on the game. I won’t spoil the fun for you here, but be ready to reach for a clean pair of shorts when you happen upon the Reality Gem.
Sometimes Pinball Can Be A Punch In The Balls
But even though these tables will blast your eyeballs with visuals, there are some slight drawbacks. One thing we can fault it for is that some of these tables are incredibly hard to master. We’d love to see a table tutorial mode for each entry, especially since there are so many impressive events on each table that are more than worth showing off. The operator’s menus can be confusing as well, unless you really know what you’re doing. A Flythrough mode of each table, explaining the events and the tweaks would be a welcome addition.
What makes this notable is the fact that many of Zen’s other pinball tables are very user-friendly in the sense that it will be very clear what you need to do in order to advance the game. Whether it be ramp design, indicator lights, or a cue on the in-game LED screen, tables like Excalibur and Ms. Splosion Man can guide you to the next event or jackpot total without holding your hand. In the tables in Avengers Chronicles, it can be a complete mystery as to what you need to do next. Is there a particular reason to select certain Avenger pinballs?
Also, given the fact that the game supports online multiplayer, there is nothing in the game to inherently draw you into it. The Autolog feature from Need For Speed puts down a good roadmap that can coerce you into multiplayer, and Zen should follow suit. I don’t only want to know what the next Superscore is above mine: I also want to know that Dana just started playing The Infinity Gauntlet table, or that Jake wants me join a matchup on The Avengers.
Also, it would be nice to be able to buy these tables individually, rather than as a pack. Granted, ten bucks is a low price point, but maybe you’re only a fan of Thor, and just want the Fear Itself table for $2.50? That should at least be an option, rather than having to pick up all four at once. If you break Pinball FX 2 down into its component tables, you might end up spending a ton of money on this game, only to play a handful of the tables.
Truly, These Are Pinball Wizards
These tables bring the total of Zen Studios entries in the Marvel pinball world up to an impressive sixteen, and it feels like they keep getting better and better. Zooming in on any of these tables will show off the impressive artistry and work that goes into creating a pinball experience. What’s even more amazing is that they keep everything within the confines of the physics of pinball itself, to you’ll see seams on the table and lights that are plugged into the playfield. The only thing missing is a slot for the quarters to make you think it’s a real table.
Ultimately, we can’t deny that this game is incredibly fun. The tables are gorgeous, and it’s a fantastic way to breathe life back into a seemingly dead arcade genre. We just wish that The Who was there singing us through the game as we go for the high score.
2012 definitely stands as the year of Marvel’s The Avengers, what with Joss Whedon’s big-screen take on the superhero squad cleaning up at the box office with $1.4 billion in ticket sales. And with the home release already dated for September 25, the fun looks to continue on for months to come. With that, Ubisoft has finally stepped forward with an Avengers licensed video game, Battle For Earth, which will be knocking heads later this year for Xbox 360 Kinect and Wii U. The company recently invited us to a behind-closed-doors demo to see how it works.
The concept is pretty similar to Power-Up Heroes, Ubi’s previously released superhero endeavor, but obviously tailor made with the Avengers in mind. Instead of tying in with events from the film, you’ll be following chapters from the Secret Invasion saga, which means you’ll not only be tangling with the Skrulls, but also super villains like Loki and Magneto. For that matter, additional characters will be included with the original Avengers team, such as Spider-Man and Wolverine. (Over 20 will be in the game in all.)
The game works like a one-on-one battle game, where you fight against a specific opponent until one of you falls. Think of it like a fighting game, but set up with an over-the-shoulder view – and with motion controls. With your chosen character, you’ll execute attacks by swinging your arms and feet around in the desired motion.
Movement of your character is handled simply by swaying left and right, or pushing forward if you feel like going in for an attack. You can swing your fists for basic attacks and also initiate an air launch move, leaving them vulnerable for a strike. But it’s when you introduce special moves into the fray that things really get interesting with Battle For Earth.
Here, you can raise your arm in the air using Thor to initiate a lightning charge, then point at your opponent to hit them with the required voltage. Or you can play as Hulk, slapping your hands together for a Thunder Clap and watching the sonic waves knock them around like crazy. (A ground smash is available as well, so don’t be concerned.) Ubisoft is fine-tuning each character so that their attacks feel natural to the player executing them, and so far, those controls look quite responsive, though there are times small executions aren’t properly received. It’s still in the works though.
On top of a single player campaign, Battle For Earth will also support two-player co-op, so you can battle with a friend in split-screen fashion, swinging away and using special techniques. The game will also be online compatible through Xbox Live, so you can battle others.
We noted that Battle For Earth was also headed for Wii U, and while Ubisoft didn’t specifically elaborate on the features for that version, it’s bound to use the touch-screen to some effect, and possibly even the device’s gyrosensors. Once we know more, we’ll let you know what unfolds…
For now, you can rest easy with The Avengers: Battle For Earth. This isn’t just some rushed Kinect effort that’s taking advantage of the super-hot film franchise, but rather a fighting game that lets you acts out your ultimate superhero desires with 20+ various characters. Who doesn’t want to perform a shield throw with Captain America or a plasma blast with Iron Man? We’re game for that.
With The Avengers movie destroying box office records left and right, it would seem odd that the current Avengers animated TV series, The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, could be cancelled. But there’s increasing speculation that might be the case.
In recent interviews, Marvel TV head Jeph Loeb has been non-committal on the status of EMH, only saying they had ongoing plans for the Avengers in animation, but not whether that particular series would continue. While Earth’s Mightiest Heroes debuted after Disney bought Marvel, it’s worth noting that the show was already in the works before that deal. The speculation is that Marvel may want to end Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in order to begin a new Avengers animated series fully developed and produced by them and also in continuity with the new Marvel animated series universe established by Ultimate Spider-Man.
When I spoke to Adrian Pasdar last month (who voices Iron Man on Ultimate Spider-Man), he noted he had also voiced Iron Man on the upcoming Hulk and the Agents of Smash animated series – likely a sign those two shows (both fully produced by Marvel) will be considered part of the same universe. A universe Earth’s Mightiest Heroes is not a part of...
While acknowledging Earth’s Mightiest Heroes’ fandom, Loeb’s comments to Collider in March, on the topic of serialization in the animated series, also could point to the current Avengers show not being in line with Marvel’s future plans. Said Loeb, “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes has a tremendous following. One of the things that’s very unique about that show is that it was at a time prior to my coming in. It is a very serialized show, and there are a lot of characters. What we wanted to do with Spider-Man, and going forward, was to tell stories that are individualized. Obviously, we want everybody to watch the show every week, but we also know that people’s time is often taken. So, DVR the show, but if you’re not going to do that, the idea is that you will be able to catch up. I don’t ever want anybody to sit down on Sunday mornings at 11 o’clock and suddenly feel like, “Well, I lost the last three episodes, so I don’t really know what’s going on.”” Loeb has previously indicated that the final twelve episodes of Season 2 of Earth's Mightiest Heroes feature more standalone storylines.
There are still eighteen episodes left to air for Season 2 of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. When I asked Marvel for information on the show potentially ending after that, I was told the company doesn’t officially comment on plans for future seasons of their Marvel Universe programs.
Loeb usually takes part in a Marvel television panel at San Diego Comic-Con. Assuming that is the case again this summer, no doubt the future of The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes will be a question many are curious to ask.
With a current global tally of $1,186,653,451, The Avengers is now No. 4 on the list of all time worldwide grosses, ahead of Transformers: Dark of the Moon but behind Avatar (No. 1), Titanic (No. 2) and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (No. 3).
On the domestic side, The Avengers is No. 5 behind Avatar (No. 1), Titanic (No. 2), The Dark Knight (No. 3) and Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (No. 4).
The Avengers has been the No. 1 movie in North America for the last three weekends, but is widely expected to finally be dethroned from the top spot at the box office when Men in Black 3 opens Friday.
The Avengers has been out in the U.S. for two weeks now, and it shows no signs of slowing down. The film is expected to remain number one at the box office this weekend, and has recently broken yet record -- it's now the film to make it to the $400 million domestic mark quickest. It did that in just 14 days (previous champ was The Dark Knight at 18 days). Additionally, it's now the sixth-highest worldwide grossing film ever at $1.07 billion, and has a strong 93% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
So clearly, people like the first combined adventure of Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk and the rest. After seeing the film, everyone seems to leave the theater with a bunch of "Wasn't it awesome when…" favorite bits -- and that includes the IGN staff. So let's talk about some of favorite parts from The Avengers, and then why don't you guys chime in below with your own most memorable lines/scenes/explosions/characters/whatevers?
Beware of spoilers if for some unfathomable reason you haven't seen the film yet!
Jim Vejvoda: The thing that rocked most about Avengers is that it simply worked at all. Everyone had a moment or two to shine, a standout line or fight, and the dynamic between all these disparate personalities was spot-on. The global scale of the threat, the final battle, all of the climactic elements that many felt were missing in the Marvel films leading up to this was addressed here to glorious effect.
Scott Collura: As Jim said above, every character gets their moment to shine, and the dynamic between them all is just perfect. A few of my favorite interactions:
Cap to Black Widow, about Thor and Loki: “There’s only one God, ma’am. And I don’t think he dresses like that.”
Iron Man to Thor: "Shakespeare in the Park? Doth mother know you weareth her drapes?"
Tony Stark to Pepper Potts: "Phil? His first name is Agent."
Bruce Banner to Tony Stark: "Are you saying that the other guy saved my life?"
Black Widow to Loki, abruptly dropping her facade: "Banner... that's your play."
Agent Coulson to Loki: "You lack conviction."
Cap to Hulk: "And Hulk… smash!"
Max Nicholson: Teamwork! There’s a particular shot during the Manhattan finale when we see all the Avengers sweeping through the city streets as they tag-team the Chitauri in one seemingly “single take.” (Blink and you’ll miss it, but there’s even one part where Iron Man fires his repulsor at Cap’s shield and it deflects into an alien soldier.) All stitched together, it’s perhaps one of the most technically impressive shots in the entire flick. Plus, it all builds up to the subsequent shot which provides the fan-favorite “Hulk punches Thor” moment.
And of course, there is perhaps no better example of “Whedonesque” than the final, final tag of The Avengers. It’s simple, sweet and downright hilarious. If you still haven’t stuck around until after the credits, do yourself a favor next time and kick back for a few more minutes. You won’t be disappointed. (And to think, this almost didn’t make the final cut!)
R.L. Shaffer: Shawarma. It's what the Avengers needed, and it's what we needed -- the icing on an already very tasty cake. Who would have thought such a quick last minute shoot, done after the film's premiere, would have such an impact... but it has. Shawarma sales have shot through the roof. Fans across the entire planet are discovering the tasty Mediterranean dish. If only Marvel could sell it in stores, they'd make billions. I even found myself firing up the grill to cook up some shawarma after seeing the movie. But beyond that, the scene was just a wonderful little moment, a quick glimpse of superheroes in their downtime, which is something we don't often see. And I thank Joss Whedon for providing the tastiest post-credit cookie of them all.
Jesse Schedeen: I was extremely excited to see the Thanos reveal during the mid-credits sequence. It wasn't necessarily a huge surprise to learn he was the villain pulling the strings given the character's usual motivations and penchant for sitting on floating space rocks. But it did cement the idea that Marvel isn't afraid to go full-on cosmic with these movies and celebrate the more fantastical characters in their lineup. Telling Thanos that to battle the Avengers is “to court death” is practically like handing the villain a hand-written invitation to crush the planet between his giant, purple fingers. I'm eagerly waiting to see how he responds in the sequel, and hoping that we'll see more of Marvel's cosmic characters in the interim.
Dan Iverson: If I had to pick just one single moment of the movie which I considered to be better than the rest I would have to say Bruce Banner joining the final fight in Manhattan. Sure, "Puny God" was shocking and one of the very best moments in comic-book movie history, but Banner stating that he's "always angry" and then taking the armored leviathan out of the sky with ease had the character come off as the most interesting and fun to watch in the film. Plus, this bit of mayhem confirmed that there is still a future for Hulk in cinema... we just want to watch more of Hulk smashing indescribably large targets.
Matt Fowler: In accordance with the brand new natural order of the universe, there is no other discernible time other than "time to watch The Avengers."
Marvel Avengers: Battle For Earth is coming out for the Kinect and Wii-U. Ubisoft and Marvel Entertainment announced that they are teaming up to create a game based on the blockbusting superhero tong. The title will feature more than 20 characters from the Marvel universe and is based on the “Secret Invasion” comics, not the film. We don't know the release date, but it will obviously not be out until after the Nintendo Wii-U launches.
“The idea that we’re making a motion-control version of The Avengers is a unique proposition if you compare that to superhero games of the past,” said Tony Key, Ubisoft’s vice president of sales and marketing said to The Associated Press. “This is the perfect type of game for that because these characters are very action oriented. They’re always fighting and throwing things.”
Further details on the game are scarce, but Ubisoft promises more details at this year's E3 in June. Speaking of which, G4 will be all over E3 2012, bringing you all the news, videos, and surprises you could possibly need or imagine.
The Avengers may have just opened in theaters, but already superhero fans are looking towards the next wave of Marvel Studios films. That new wave kicks off next summer with Iron Man 3. Robert Downey Jr. and the gang will return once more to save the world and deliver some snark.
What makes this latest sequel interesting is that, more so than the previous Marvel Studios films, Iron Man 3 looks to be drawing inspiration directly from the comics. Recent reports suggest that the film will be based on Iron Man: Extremis by writer Warren Ellis and artist Adi Granov.
But just what is Extremis, and how does it fit into the world we've seen develop over the course of three movies so far? That's what we explore in this guide as we hypothesize what direction the story will take in Iron Man 3.
The Story
Extremis debuted in 2005, shortly after the various Avengers titles were relaunched in the wake of the Avengers Disassembled storyline. As the tale opens, Tony Stark is dealing with the collapse of the Avengers and the end of his short-lived stint as Secretary of Defense. The day-to-day pressures of running his company are conflicting with his desire to hide from the world and tinker with the Iron Man armor.
Tony has an unexpected reunion with an old colleague named Maya Hansen. Hansen is a scientist responsible for the creation of the Extremis process, essentially a computerized version of the super-soldier serum that created captain America. When Extremis is stolen by a terrorist group, Hansen calls in Iron Man to help stop a new super-powered foe from unleashing the power of Extremis on Washington D.C.
The core struggle Tony faces in Extremis is the need to evolve. His past as a weapons manufacturer still haunts him. He questions whether the Iron Man armor has actually helped the world or just brought more death and destruction. And when faced with the perfect fusion of biology and technology in the form of his new foe, Mallen, Tony comes to the realization that Iron Man is behind the curve. So what comes next?
The Characters
Robert Downey Jr. will reprise his role as Tony Stark/Iron Man (it may also be his final performance depending how contract re-negotiations with Marvel Studios go). Despite recent victories over Iron Monger, Whiplash, and Loki, Tony still faces newer and greater threats and will need an even more advanced version of the Iron Man armor to keep up.
Gwyneth Paltrow and Don Cheadle will also reprise their roles as Pepper Potts and James Rhodes, respectively. What role these two will play is unclear given that neither character appears in the original Extremis storyline. However, it's a safe bet that Rhodey will suit up as War Machine again, which may invite more conflict between Stark Enterprises and the military. Meanwhile, we're crossing our fingers that Pepper will be given her own suit of armor and that Rescue can make her live-action debut.
Jessica Chastain was slated to co-star in a role believed to be Maya Hansen, the co-creator of Extremis. Hansen is both Tony's intellectual rival and a potential love interest. However, as an alcoholic and a person who places her work over her morality, Hansen also represents what Tony could become without a conscience. Though Chastain has now dropped out, Diane Kruger, Gemma Arterton, and Isla Fischer were all rumored to be in the running as well and may once again be contenders.
The character Sal Kennedy serves as a mentor figure to both Tony and Maya in the comic. Sal is a futurist who pushes both characters to move their industries forward. He's also a bit of a hippie and a recreational drug enthusiast who spends his free time sampling various mushrooms and other psychedelic drugs. The character would be perfect for Jeff Bridges if Bridges hadn't already played Obadiah Stane in the first film. So far there's no word if Sal will actually appear in Iron Man 3.
Guy Pearce has been cast as Aldrich Killian, Maya's colleague and co-creator of the Extremis process. Killian commits suicide early in the first issue of Extremis, but we have to assume that Marvel Studios wouldn't hire Pearce if the character was going to bow out of the film so quickly. One possibility is that Killian will be combined with the Mallen character and that he will be the first Extremis-enhanced villain Iron Man is forced to battle.
Finally, Ben Kingsley has been cast as a mystery villain, while Andy Lau will reportedly play an unknown character. And despite early reports to the contrary, Scarlett Johansson will not reprise her role as Black Widow here.
The New Armor
The most significant outcome of Extremis was a new suit of armor and a new slate of abilities for Tony. Initially, he proved no match for Mallen's Extremis powers because his armor was too clunky and slow. Now matter how advanced the weaponry in his armor, Tony couldn't move at the speed of thought like Mallen did.
That all changes when Tony injects himself with the Extremis process. It rebuilds his body from the ground up to the point where Tony can now directly interface with computer systems and satellites. The crucial circuitry for the Iron Man armor is now stored inside the hollows of his bones. Like Darth Vader, Tony is now more machine than man, except he actually gets to keep his good looks.
With the new powers comes a new suit of armor. The "Extremis Armor" is a streamlined version of his previous suit. It features a smoother, more organic look and can now move and operate as fast as Tony can think.
We expect to see a similar sort of transformation for Tony in the film along with a new, streamlined Iron Man armor. Interestingly, Adi Granov illustrated the Extremis storyline and worked on the armor designs for the previous Iron Man movies, so the look of Iron Man is already heavily inspired by his art. Will the movie version of the Extremis armor still resemble Granov's art? Or will it take cues from the current "Bleeding Edge" armor in the comics, which is constructed of liquid metal and stored entirely inside Tony's body? That could be a cool sight to witness on the big screen.
If Iron Man has a primary nemesis in the same way that the X-Men have Magneto and Superman has Lex Luthor, it would probably be the Mandarin. This villain, besides being a formidable martial artist and warrior, gains power trough the ten rings he harvested from an alien spacecraft. Mandarin's rings lend credence to the old saying "any sufficiently advanced science is indistinguishable from magic." His rivalry with Iron Man is one of science vs. mysticism and West vs. East.
Fans have been waiting for a Mandarin appearance for years now, and we suspect that their wish may finally come true in Iron Man 3. For one thing, the previous two movies have been teasing his eventual rise. The terrorist group that kidnapped Tony was called The Ten Rings, and their leader Raza can be seen handling his master's Flame Blast ring. The Ten Rings appeared again in Iron Man 2, providing Whiplash with information and helping Justin Hammer break the villain out of prison.
There's also the fact that the new sequel is being partly filmed and produced in China. Coincidence? We know that Ben Kingsley has been cast as a villain in the film. And despite reports that he isn't playing the Mandarin, we're still not convinced. Kingsley's character apparently weaves a plot that "revolves around the spread of a virus through nanobots." That sounds like Extremis to us, and using Extremis as a terrorist weapon is something Mandarin has done in the past.
Expanding Extremis
Even if Iron Man 3 does end up borrowing heavily from the Extremis storyline, significant additions and changes will have to be made along the way. Though the comic is presented in very cinematic fashion, it simply isn't long enough to form the basis of a two-hour movie. The problem is even more pronounced because one issue focuses largely on providing a modernized take on Iron man's origins, something viewers already saw in the original film.
Perhaps the most sensible idea is to use Extremis as a foundation for the first act of the movie. After gaining his Extremis powers and defeating Mallen (or his equivalent), Tony should go on to face a larger threat. The movie could easily work as an adaptation of two comic storylines. The Iron Man series was temporarily relaunched as Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. During this time, the overarching conflict involved The Mandarin returning from exile, disguising himself as a scientist named Tem Borjigin and working on a plot to unleash Extremis as a worldwide pandemic. He knew that Extremis would be lethal to 97.5% of the world's population, but that the survivors would emerge as a new, highly advanced race.
That sounds like the sort of conflict that could carry the remaining two acts of the film, whereas a one-on-one battle between Iron Man and Mallen would seem dull in comparison to the previous final showdowns. It fits with director Shane Black's desire to craft a movie that is as much a techno thriller as it is a superhero adventure. A more global conflict also allows characters like Rhodey and Pepper to do more, whereas the original Extremis storyline leaves no place for anyone outside of the limited main cast. And the conflict still works even if it turns out that Kingsley won't be portraying Mandarin.
In a more general sense, we'd like to see the sequel explore how the creation of the Iron Man armor has affected the modern battlefield. Tony may have built the suit in order to end war, but the longer it exists, the more opportunities there are for less philanthropic men to abuse the technology. This has been a focus of many Iron Man stories over the years. We're picturing stories like Matt Fraction's "The Five Nightmares of Tony Stark," where 21st Century suicide bombers use arc reactors instead of dynamite to cause death and destruction. Or maybe "Armor Wars," where Tony embarked on an unsanctioned, one-man war against all the foreign powers who sought to corrupt his invention.
Extremis is a good foundation, but there's plenty more potential in the Iron Man universe.
MAJOR SPOILERS FOLLOW FOR THE AVENGERS. DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE FILM YET!
The tried and true Marvel Studios tradition of inserting scenes with Easter eggs midway or after the credits of its films continues with The Avengers. And while the surprise reveal that comes midway during the film's closing credits -- right after the fancy actor roll call -- might make total sense to comics fans, there are surely a lot of you out there saying, "Just what the heck was that all about?"
Well, we've got you covered.
But one more time, remember that spoilers follow!
O.K., then. Let's do this.
Ready?
You want to know who the purple-faced freakazoid is at the end of the film? It's Thanos, of course. The Mad Titan!
Thanos, the Mad Titan
Thanos shows up ever so briefly when "The Other" -- Loki's point man with the Chitauri -- breaks the news to his boss that the Avengers just kicked the butts of the God of Mischief and his alien army. Their invasion of Earth has failed. Standing with his back to the camera amid the cosmic otherness that seems to be becoming for Marvel, Thanos turns to reveal his distinctive mug and only-a-mother-can-love chin ridges to the camera. And then… cut to the rest of the credits! So it was who actually ordered the attack on Earth…
Of course, this all makes sense. We'd been hearing for ages that a second villain might be showing up in The Avengers. Red Skull was frequently mentioned, but of course Thanos' infamous weapon the Infinity Gauntlet did show up in a blink-or-you-miss-it moment in the Thor movie last summer in Odin's weapons room. (The Infinity Gauntlet also made an appearance at Comic-Con a year before that!)
But who is Thanos?
Created by that cosmic-tale stalwart Jim Starlin, Thanos first showed up in Iron Man #55 in 1973 and has been more or less a mainstay of Marvel Comics' outer-space stories since. He's one of the Eternals, an "evolutionary offshoot" of the human race who have superpowers and get to do cool stuff like hang on Saturn's moon Titan and live for a really long time. This is not unlike another super-race in Marvel lore, the Inhumans, who Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has said could be getting a movie soon too.
In the comics, Thanos is not an Inhuman. But the Marvel movies have tinkered with their source material before to make it fit onscreen, so who knows? Maybe the Inhumans and the Eternals will be combined to some degree. Either way, it seems likely that Thanos will play some kind of role in that movie, if and when it happens. But even more likely is the character's connection to The Avengers 2. He will be back in the sequel, it seems, and he'll be ready for Earth's Mightiest Heroes this time!
Bookmark this page and check back soon as we'll be breaking out a full "Thanos: Everything You Need to Know" feature, but in the meantime... fear the Mad Titan!
O.K., we saw the film again on opening day here in the U.S., and obviously that absolute last scene of The Avengers is in fact an added treat. Sure to disappoint some viewers, confuse others, and delight even more, the 30-second or so bit comes after the last credit has rolled. It's a wordless gag as the Avengers all sit around a shawarma shop, exhausted and munching away on pita sandwiches after the film's climactic battle has ended.
This is of course a reference to a line Tony Stark has during the final moments of the fight, after the Hulk has caught him during his plummet from the sky. He suggests going for shawarma around the corner, doing that Stark quip thing that he does so well. It plays as a throwaway line, but when the image of the entire group appears after the credits, it's a great moment -- and a very Whedonesque one at that. The shot feels like something you'd see in a Buffy episode, in fact, and while it's humorous, it also fits the film's themes -- and the entire Marvel movie oeuvre to date -- very well. you'd want to go chow down with your buds after a hard day's work like that, and who needs to chit-chat after everything you'd just been through? That's the sign of a real family actually -- there's no need to make small talk.
You could also read into the bit as a commentary on the whole Easter egg phenomenon as well. After hooking us in time and again with Nick Fury cameos and mysterious hammers in the desert, it's almost like Marvel Studios itself is saying, "O.K., whew. Finally, we did it. Now let's eat." Love it.
Note: Yep, we've decided to begin weekly reviews for The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes! For some reason we can't put our finger on, the timing just felt appropriate... Moderate episode spoilers follow.
With the Avengers movie shifting Marvel Studios' films into a more cosmically-oriented direction, it's only fitting that Season 2 of Earth's Mightiest Heroes continues to do the same for the show. The series continued its gradual build-up towards the big Kree/Skrull War conflict, but in the process introduced both a legendary Avengers foe and a very unusual team of "Space Avengers" called the Guardians of the Galaxy.
The episode handled Michael Korvac very well considering the limited, 21-minute time span. The character was always meant to be a cautionary tale of what happens when one ordinary man is given god-like power, and Korvac's gradual breakdown over the course of the episode captured that descent into madness. As in the original story, his desperate attachment to his girlfriend, Carina, providing just the right touch of humanity. The fact that so much of "The Korvac Saga" was reduced or eliminated for this episode was probably for the best.
But in the end, it was really the Guardians of the Galaxy who stole the show. Considering that the episode was written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (who created the version of the Guardians the episode utilized), that's only to be expected. Hawkeye had a great line, "There's a tree and a raccoon scowling at us, man. Are we firing?" That pretty much kicked off hostilities between the two groups as they embarked on the obligatory "let's fight each other for a while until we unite to battle a common foe," shtick.
It might not have been the most clever or surprising plot, but it was a hell of a lot of fun. Whether it was Iron Man vs. Quasar, Hulk vs. Groot, or Black Panther vs. Adam Warlock, the battles were consistently engaging and visually memorable for a show that doesn't always boast the strongest animation quality. The vocal work was also particularly noteworthy thanks to all the guest stars. There was the inimitable Kevin Conroy as Star-Lord, of course. Kirk Thornton's Warlock and Troy Baker's Korvac were also particularly well done. Although, as a long-time fan of Rocket Raccoon, I can't say I ever pictured the character with a heavy British accent.
This episode may not have had quite the epic scale and sense of doom the original Korvac Saga did in the comics, but it ended on a suitably tragic note that leaves the door open for the villain's return. On a more somber note, the episode was dedicated to the memory of its director, the late Boyd Kirkland. At least Kirkland was able to go out in style with one of the better episodes the series has seen to date.
